Hot Rods Help East Blank West In Midwest League All-Star Game

Peoria, Ill. - Five Bowling Green Hot Rods participated for the Eastern Division in the 2015 Midwest League All-Star Game on Tuesday night, aiding the cause in a shutout the Western Division, 5-0, in front of 5,858 fans at Dozer Park in Peoria, Ill.

Jace Conrad was the lone Hot Rod to start the game, doing so at second base while batting twice; a groundout to open the top of the second inning and a double to deep right field off Clinton's Lukas Schiraldi in the fourth.

Grant Kay and Nick Ciuffo entered the game off the bench, with Kay taking over for Lansing's Anthony Alford in centerfield and Ciuffo relieving Cael Brockmeyer behind the plate. Kay went 0-for-2, but brought a run home in the top of the ninth on a RBI groundout, while Ciuffo mustered an infield single in the ninth inning and later scored in the frame.

Brent Honeywell was the first Bowling Green pitcher to come into the game, taking the hill in the bottom of the sixth and throwing just 0.2 innings while fanning both batters he faced - Burlington's Jake Yacinich and Quad Cities' Jamie Ritchie.

Chris Pike was summoned from the Eastern Division bullpen with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and induced a game-ending groundout from Quad Cities' Nick Tanielu on a payoff pitch, clinching the whitewashing.

Of note, teams combined for 29 strikeouts, including 16 registered by the Eastern Division pitching effort.

Bowling Green begins the second half of the 2015 season with a four-game set against the Dayton Dragons at Bowling Green Ballpark on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. CDT.

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